The beginning of the triangle trade between the Americas and Africa. 
Aimé Césaire’s words: massacre/overripe warning lights/impenitent. Ricci’s words: all kingdoms/God/universal truths/the way a Jesuit would see it.

Mateo Ricci was a Jesuit Missionary who, in 1602, was commissioned by the Chinese to create a map with six rice paper panels depicting China at the center. Ricci, however, wanted it to be “a portrait of the earth as a Jesuit would like the Chinese to think a Jesuit would see it.” 

Triangle Trade and The Black Tulip of Cartography was commissioned for a collaborative gallery exhibition on Seattle University's campus. Six artists were united to select and interact with work from their collection. I chose a framed copy of Ricci’s world map. Removing two of six rice paper map panels, I replaced two of Ricci’s sections, one showing the west coast of Africa and the other, North America, with atmospheric paintings on vellum. An aerial view, above, and at a distance. Of history.